Refrigerator



May 30, 1933. L. w. EGGLESTON 1,911,443

REFRIGERATOR l `Filed oct. 15, 1927 2 sheets-Sheenav 1 -I whim 4 61 Snowdon May 30, 1 933. L. w. EGGLEVSTON REFRIGERATOR Filed Oct. l5 1927 2 Sheets-Shea?.

Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEWIS W. EGGLBTON, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN RADIATOR COMPANY, OF N'EW YORK,'N. Y., A CORPORATION O F NEW JERSEY REFBTGEATOE Application mea umher 15, 1927. serial no. 226,34o.

My invention relates'to new and useful improvements in refrigerators, and more particularly to the construction of a refri erator box.

n object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator of simple construction.

Another object is to provide a refrigerator which will have a minimum transfer of heat through the walls of the box, thus p roviding for efficient maintenance of coohng conditions in the refrigerator.

Still another object is to provide a refrigerator constructionV which may be readily built up Aof metallic members, and which will be rigid a'nd substantial.A

The invention consists in the 1mproved .construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, I have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, to be taken'las a part of this specification, and wherein- Figure 1 is a front view in perspective of the completed refrigerator, showing the food chamber door open;

bers for food or refrigerating apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same in perspect1ve;

3 is a rear view in perspective of the refrigerator, with the casing of the box removed;

Fig. 4 is a front view in perspective, also with the casing removed; Y

Fiv. 5 is a front view in perspective showin the completed frame;

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1, but with the door in closed position.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 designates, generally, a refrigerator box embodying my invention, and which I preferably form of sheet-metal. The structure includes an internal supporting frame upon which the surrounding walls are assembled, and which serves to support the parts forming the containin chamber lor chamthe sides of the frame,

. are all of equal height.

The frame (see Fig. 5), is designated enerally at 2 and is preferably rectangu ar in plan view, the bottom or base of which is formed of side angle bars 3, 4, a front angle bar 5, and a rear angle bar 6, each having its horizontal flange lowermost and extending inwardly. The bottom bars are braced by gusset plates 7, which are fixed to and lie beneath the horizontal flanges at each corner. The bottom bars are preferably joined by spot-welding, as are the other joints of the frame, but any other suitable means may be employed. At each ofthe front corners of the base is fixed a corner post 8 which ex- 4tends vertically upwardtherefrom, and at each of the rear corners is fixed a corner post 9, which alsoextends vertically upward. Each of the corner posts includes a central web 8a, at substantially 135o to the plane of and side flanges`8b, 8c extending from the plane of web 85'* at substantially-135 to lie respectively in the planes of the sides, front and back of the frame. The front corner posts 8 are eachV braced, respectively,'to their side angle bars 3, 4 by gusset plates 10, which are secured to the side flanges 8b and to the vertical flanges of bars 3', 4. The rear corner posts 9 are also each braced, respectively, to their side angle bars 3, 4 by gusset plates 11,` which are secured to the.side flanges 8b of posts 9, and to the vertical flanges of bars front and rear corner posts 8, 9, respectively, The corresponding front and rear posts are connected at their upper ends by top, side angle bars 12. The front posts 8 are connected by an angle bar 13, and the rear posts 9 are connected by an angle bar 14. These top angle bars 12, 13 and 14 form a rectangle and have their horizontal flanges uppermost and extending inwardly. The frontand rear corner posts are each braced to the top side angle'bars 12 by gusset plates 15, and the rear corner posts are each braced to the rear top angle bar 14 by gusset plates 16, the plates 15, 16 being secured to the vertical flange of bars 12, 14, respectively, and to the respective side flanges 8", 8c of the corner posts. The corner posts and the top angle bars are capped by a 3, 4. Thev substantially rectangular top frame member 17 which has a downwardly flaring surrounding flange 18, from which dependA ners to the posts 8, 9 and composed of side` angle bars 20, a front angle bar 21 and a rear angle bar 22, having their hol-izontal flanges lowermost and extending inwardly. The side angle bars 20 are braced to the front and rear corner posts by gusset plates 23, and the rear angle bar 22 is braced from each rear corner post 9 by gusset plates 24. There intermediate angle bars or frame members 20, 21, 22 serve to support upon their horizontal flanges, a partition 25. Horizontal ribs or bracing members 26 connect the rear posts 9 and also connect each rear post 9 with its front post 8. YThe partition 25 serves to divide the frame 2 into an upper compartment 28 and a. lower compartment 29. Vithin the upper compartment 28 and spaced from the frame 2, is positioned a chamber element 30 having side walls 31, 32, top wall 33, bottom wall 34 and back wall 35. The front of the chamber is open and substantially flush with the front side flanges 8c of the front corner posts 8. The walls 31, 32, 33 and 34 are each respectively provided along its free front edge with a lateral flange designated 36, 37, 38, 39, respectively. The side flanges 36, 37 are fixed, respectively, to the side flanges 8c of front corner posts 8, and the top and bottom flanges 38, 39 are fixed, respectively, to the vertical flanges of the top front angle bar 13 and the intermediate front angle bar 21, preferably by means of screws 30 passing through the flanges and threaded into the frame members. Between the adjacent surfaces of the flanges 36, 37, 38 and 39, and the parts of the frame. 2 to which they are secured, I place heat-insulating material 40, preferably sheet-cork. Within the chamber element 30 in a vertical plane adjacent the open front thereof, is a continuous hollow bead 41, preferably formed out of the material of the side, top and bottom walls of the chamber 30 and providing an outwardly -facing, continuous shoulder 42 surrounding the opening to chamber 30. The .rear bottom corners 43, 44`

of the chamber 30 may be supported on heat insulating members 45, 46, which are preferably of rock cork, resting on the partition 25.`

The frame 2 is enclosed by a casing comprising side panels 47, 48, a back panel 49, a front panel 50, top panel 51, and bottom panel 52. The side panels 47, 48 are provided at their vertical front edges with flanges 47 which are secured,A respectively to the webs 8a of the front corner posts 8, and along their Vertical rear edges with. flanges 47b which are secured respectively to the Webs 8 of the rear corner posts 9. The back panel 49 has vertical side flanges 49 which are secured respectively to the webs1 8a of the back corner posts 9, and the front panel 50 has vertical side flanges 50" which are secured respectively to the webs 8*L of the front corner posts 8. The top edge of each of the vertical panels 47, 48, 49,50 has a flange, see Fig. 6, Which is secured to the surrounding flange 18 of the top member 17. The side and top flanges of the vertical panels of the casing are preferably secured to the frame 2 by screws 53, or the like. The front panel 50 is provided with an opening 5()a registering with the open front of chamber 30 to permit access to the interior thereof. The surrounding or marginal edges of the opening 50n in the front panel have an inturned surrounding flange 54, Fig.

7, and between this flange 54 -and the walls of the chamber 30, and also between the panel 50 and the lateral flanges 36, 37, 38,

39 of the chamber 30, I place heat insulating strips 55,` 56, respectively, preferably of sheet-cork. The adjacentedges of the side flanges of the vertical panels which are secured to the webs of their respective corner posts are preferably covered by corner strips 57, which are arcuate in crosssection and extend the length of the posts. The top panel 51 has a surrounding, depending flange 58, which when the top panel is in position on the top frame member 17 to which it is preferably secured by screws 51, then flange 58 will overlap the top edges of the vertical panels and of the corner strips 57 to hold the latter inplace. The bottom panel 52 has a surrounding, upward extending flange 59, which when the panel is in position against the gusset plates 7,

Voverlaps the bottom edges of the vertical panels and the bottom ends of the corner strips 57 to hold them in position.

The open side of the chamber 30 and the opening 50a may be closed by a closure niember or door 60 supported by hinges 61 secured to the refrigerator boX 1 adjacent opening 50a in any suitable manner, as by screws 62. The door is preferably of hollow construction, having a front plate 63 and a rear plate 64. The front plate 63 is preferably cup-shaped, having a surrounding, rearwardly extending edge flange 65 from which' projects a laterally, inward directed flange 66. This front plate substantially tsthe opening 50' to the depth of the bead or shoulder 42. `The rear plate 64 has a surrounding, forwardly extending edge portion 67 from which projects a laterally outward directed flange 68. The rear plate 64 is so constructed that it' will lie substantially in the plane of bead 41 and within in the bottom portion of the the chamber 30 when the door is closed. When the front and rear plates 63, 64 are placed together, the flanges 66, 68 will lie in abutting rela-tion; but between the abutting faces of said flanges I preferably place the edge 69 of a roll gasket 70 whic insulates the door plates 63, 64 from each other. The flanges 66, 68 may be secured together by screws 71, or in any other suitable manner. WVhen the door is closed, gasket 70 fits tightly between the flange 66 and the shoulder 42 on the chamber 30 to form an airtight seal, and also serves to insulate the door 60 from the walls of the chamber element 30. The door 60 is preferably provided with fastening means 72, of any well known construction commonly used in refrigerators, which is adapted to cooperate with a member 72a on the casing, and which will hold the door tightly closed.

The space within the casing formed by the enclosing panels above the partition 25 and surrounding the chamber 30, is filled with heat-insulating material 73, preferably ground cork. The door 60 preferably contains heat-insulating material which may be rock cork, as at 74, between the flange 66 and the front plate 63, and which ma be sheet cork, as at 75, within the body o the door between the front andy rear lates.

The lower compartment 29 o the frame is adapted to receive refrigerating mechanism, and I therefore preferably provide the side panels 47, 48 with louvres 76 for the circulation of air through the compartment. Access to the compartment 29 may be had through a door 77 which closes an opening front panel 50. A screen 78 may be placed in an opening in tzle rear or back panel 49 opposite the door It will be seen that the frame structure heretofore described provides a simple but rigid support or foundation upon which the Apanels or plates forming the exterior walls of the casing may be readily assembled and held in proper relation to each other, and that said frame alsoprovides for a proper support of the food chamber or compartment 30 so that the latter will be maintained in proper relation to the frame and the exterior panels to provide a space to receive heat-insulating material or packing.

It will be seen also that by my construction in which the metal forming the chamber 30 is insulated from the metal of the frame 2 and the casing panels, and in which the chamber 30 is of air-tight construction when the door 60 is closed, the heat losses, due either to conduction between the metal of the chamber and the frame or the casing panels, or to leakage around the door 60, will be negligible, resulting in a box of high efiiciency.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a frame, a chamber within said frame, said chamber having metal walls and having an open side., a lateral flange surrounding said chamber at said open side and secured to said frame, a casing having metal walls surrounding said chamber and having an opening therethrough registering with the open side of said chamber, the wall of the casin aroulnd'v said opening having an intu'rne flange. overlying the walls of said chamber, andjnsulating material between said lateral flange and said casing and between said inturned flange 'and said chamber walls.

2. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a rectangular frame having corner posts, bars laterally joinin said corner posts, a casing enclosin said rame, a partition supported by said rame and dividing said casing into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, a chamber element in said upper compartment, heat insulating means carried by said partition and supporting said chamber element, the wall of said chamber element having an opening, the wall of said casing having an opening registering with "the `opening in the wall of the chamber element, a door adapted to close the opening in the wall of the chamber element, and heat-insulating material surrounding said chamber element between 4said casing wall and said chamber element.

3. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a frame having corner posts, a partition carried by said posts'and dividing said frame into an upper and a lower compartment, a chamber element of smaller dimensions than sai d upper compartment and having an open side, a flange on said chamber element at said open side, said chamber element being positioned within said upper compartment with said flange overlying and `fixed to certain of sai'd corner posts, means carried by said partition and supporting said chamber element, panels enclosing said frame, one of said panels having an opening registering with the open side of Said chamber element, and door means to close the open side of said chamber element.

4. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a frame having corner posts and cross-members, a partition carried by said posts and dividing said frame into an upperand a lower compartment, a chamber element of smaller dimension than said upper compartment and having an open side, said'cha ber element being positioned within said upper compartment and having a flange surrounding said open side, means securing said flange to certain of said corner posts and to certain of said crossmembers, means carried by said partition and supporting said element, panels enclosing said frame, one of said panels having an opening registering with the open side of said chamber element, and closure means for said open side.

5. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a frame having corner posts, a partition carried by said posts and dividing said frame into an upper and a lower compartment', a chamber element of smaller dimensions than said upper compartment and having an open side, a flange on said chamber element kat said open side, said chamber element being positioned within said upper compartment with said flange overlying and fixed to certain of said corner posts, heat-insulating means between said flange and said posts, heat-insulating means carried by said partition and supporting said chamber element, panels enclosing said frame, one of said panels having an opening registering with the open side of said chamber element, and heat-insulating material within the space formed by said enclosing panels above said partition and surrounding said chamber element.

6. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a frame having corner posts, panels enclosing-the sides, the front and the back of said frame, and overlying and securing to said corner posts, corner strips overlying said posts and the joints between said anels and said posts, a top panel on said fxfame having a depending surrounding ilange, said flange overlapping the .upper ends of said corner strips, a bottom panel on said frame having an upward extending surrounding flange overlapping the lower ends of said corner strips, said strips being secured in position by said flanges.

7. A refrigerator of the character described, comprising a. frame having corner posts, a top frame member overlying said corner posts, vertical panels enclosing the sides, the front and the back of said frame, said front panel having a door opening therein, the vertical side edges of said panels overlying and being secured to said corner posts, the top edges of said panels being secured to said top frame member, a corner strip overlying each corner post and the vertical adjacent side edges of the vertical panels, a top panel supported on said top plate and having a depending surrounding flange, said flange overlapping the joints formed between said panels and top plate and also ing said corner posts, top members connecting said corner posts, a chamber element positioned in said frame, means connecting said overlapping said corner strips to hold them scribed, comprising a rectangular frame if1`"\` cluding corner posts, base members connect- 

